“Prickly,aren’t you little Badger? I did not find our meeting unfortunate. Ifound it precipitous.” He stood so near she could clearly see the stubbleon his chin. The green eyes danced under lashes longer than any manshould have. His lips were full and sensuous. She tried to focus onthe tiny jade figure in his ear. It looked like a baby.
“Donot call me that. It is not flattering to be likened to a foul temperedrodent.”
“No, it isnot, nor is it flattering to be likened to a strutting bird known for itsbeauty and stupidity.” This time he grinned showing even white teeth.
Alexandra’sheart began a dull thud as she looked up into those green eyes. Herbreath stopped and she froze, mesmerized by Lord Reynolds. Were he acobra about to strike, she would cheerfully stand still and allow thebite. Alexandra realized with growing trepidation that she was out ofher element with this man. As mistress of Helmsby Abbey, she gaveorders to a group of ancient servants and farm hands. Her intelligenceand authority were never questioned and no man, not a farm hand, a villager oreven the peddler that sometimes passed through ever dared flirt with her.The man before her was a dangerous, handsome Marquess with a scandalousreputation. His attraction to her was illogical and ridiculous. Shewas both frightened and thrilled by his apparent interest in her.
“Miss Dunforth,I would love to further a discussion of animal husbandry with you.Perhaps you can give me pointers. About my sheep.” A mischievousgrin broke across the beautiful face.
He’sflirting with me. Teasing me.Her heart fluttered like a trapped butterfly. “I would behappy to. The next time your grandmother invites me to tea.” Thewords came out sharply. She turned her back on him, anxious to escape to thesafety of the carriage and the dubious company of Tilda. She took a stepforward.
A warmfinger slid along her neck and inserted itself in the back of her gown.The finger tugged her back, towards Lord Reynolds. She could not moveforward without risking a tear in her gown.
“Stopblustering for a moment, Badger. Even though it makes youquitedelectable.”
The wordsfell over her in a caress. He’d called her delectable. Somethingdark and dangerous twisted through her. Her skin tingled. The hallgrew even warmer. Surely this was only a game to him.
“You areunkind to toy with me in this fashion.” She nearly wept the words.Every nerve in her body screamed. “Are you so jaded by life that you amuseyourself by torturing your grandmother’s guests?”
The fingerslid out of the back of her neck and was joined by his whole hand as it traileddown the length of her spine. Her back exploded at the warmth of histouch. A gasp escaped her mouth. She prayed he hadn’tnoticed.
“I wouldenjoy torturing youendlessly. In a mostkindfashion.”
The dragon’stail wrapped around her middle, sensuously winding around her.
“Alex.” Hisbreath, warm against the back of her neck, held a note of longing.
An odd achefilled her chest. “I did not give you leave to call me by thatname.” She tried to sound harsh, but instead her reprimand sounded seductive.
“I did notask for it.” The words floated around her as he planted a kiss below her ear,the skin sparking with flame at the touch of his lips.
Alexandrablinked, stunned that he would dare kiss her, here at Cambourne House, but didnot turn around to face him. It was all she could do not to fall into apuddle of adoration at his feet. She was a bookish, plain spinster fromHampshire, more comfortable discussing the planting of crops than thewhispering seductive flirtations in the shadows. Notorious rakes did not desireher. Did they?
She pivotedround, determined to confront him with the logic of her thoughts, but he wasgone, the elegant hallway of Cambourne House, quiet. Lord Reynolds disappearedas if he had never been there at all.
SIX
“My lord,you have a guest awaiting you in your study.” McMannish wrinkled hisenormous bushy black eyebrows and frowned as he saw the tear in Sutton’s jacketand the scrape against Sutton’s cheek. “My lord? Have you beenteaching Viscount Lindley that Chinese fighting again? Looks like he gotone off on you.”
Suttonnodded to McMannish but didn’t answer. The man who attempted to slitSutton’s throat as he left the solicitor’s office decided to have his windpipecrushed rather than tell Sutton who employed him. Sutton was sure thateven without the man’s confession he knew who employed the would-be assassin.Two attempts on his life in such a short time span, one prior to his departurefrom Macao, the other just after his return to London, left Sutton little doubtas to the identity. She was the only one with much to gain by his deathand everything to lose if Sutton continued to live.
He shook hisshoulders, trying to force the dampness of London from his body. He hadbeen back from Macao for nearly a year, but still he couldn’t get warm.Every fireplace in the townhouse was kept stoked day and night to banish thecold. Still Sutton shivered. McMannish complained of slowly beingcooked to death and suggested his lordship wear wool undergarments.
“Can you bemore specific as to the guest?” The two giant, black caterpillars overMcMannish’s eyes attempted to climb into the man’s hairline. A sure signof trouble. McMannish was a large man of Scottish extraction andmade quite an imposing butler. Sutton found McMannish, drunk and surly ina tavern on the wharf one evening. The man bemoaned his fate. He came toLondon to escape the poverty of his Scottish village only to be unable to findwork. His imposing size, stern countenance and Scottish burr gavepotential employers pause. Sutton, knowing how it felt to be an outcast, hiredMcMannish on the spot. The grateful Scotsman acted as butler and bodyguard toSutton.
“Robbins triedto warn you. He sent ‘round a note.” McMannish lowered his tone.
“A lady,McMannish?” Damn Robbins. Sutton had found his erstwhile valet at ahouse party held by the Earl of Lantham. Robbins spilled out of anupstairs window after being discovered with the Earl’s mistress. The manwas a decent valet but could be distracted by a show of leg or a prettysmile. He was likely just now recalling he needed to get a note toSutton.
McMannishsniffed. “I’m sure some would call her that. No lady I know wouldshow up at a gentleman’s home, unescorted in her widow’s weeds.”
Ah. Itwas Caro then and not his stepmother. Thank God. He really wasn’tup for sparring with Jeanette this afternoon, especially since she was tryingto have him killed. The morning at the solicitor’s had been quiteilluminating. Jeanette spent the Cambourne fortune at a furious pace. Herdressmaker’s bills alone boggled the mind. She ordered jewels andfripperies by the dozens. Employed a servant just to hold a parasol overher in the garden least the sun spoil her complexion. Her allowance, exceedinglygenerous, seemed to disappear amongst the pile of gambling debt sheaccumulated. Sutton instructed the solicitor that the Marchioness nolonger had an open line of credit, anywhere. Sutton alone controlledJeanette’s allowance. She was not going to bleed Cambourne any longer with herexcess.
“Cam,darling? Is that you?” A feminine voice echoed down the hallway.
McMannish wiggledhis brows in distaste. His lips pressed firmly into a grimace ofdisapproval. “It’sthatLady Fellowes.”
“So I see.” Suttonsighed in frustration. Caro refused his polite brush off at LadyDobson’s. He did not wish things to become nasty, but Caro wasn’t takingthe hint.
